Hi, not sure if i qualify as I'm not as yet a rider. I amhowever disabled and fully intend to become a rider.
In 1999 I had a motorcycle accident, it was a reasonable event, the policeclosed the road for 8 hours whilst I was recovered and they did their thing!Anyway the accident left me unconscious for three weeks and in hospital for 4months, my right leg remained broken below the knee for 14 months and in theend I had to have a bone graft to rectify the problem. Both forearms were brokenmy right forearm also had nerve damage resulting in a further op to allow me toopen my hand via tendon transfer. My left forearm and elbow were broken leavingme to this day unable to straighten my left arm fully. The main damage thoughwas to my left leg, the sciatic nerve was ripped away from the spine at all 5sockets leaving me with non function left buttock, rear thigh muscle waist and completelyparalyzed below the knee.
I sat at home watching the Paralympics and felt ashamed of myself, " I really must get off my a*se" and have been looking for a reasonable tricycle to buy since, there are plenty of the Mission, Viking and Kentex style trikes but I live in Southern Spain where there are one or two mountains and these "shopper" style trikes just will not cut it around here.
Any thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks and "Hi" to all here.

Pardon this thread is so old, but there are no others like it... I found it on a search...

Does anyone here cycle, that is disabled? I mean being unable to support yourself with employment.
People see me cycling often and sometimes think I must not be disabled, because how could a disabled person ride a bicycle
I have two neurological conditions, and cycling is a BIG help on my quality of life - thanks to conditioning (being inactive is a very bad idea in my case), transportation, and mental satisfaction. I don't have very good endurance or power but good enough to get around and enjoy it sometimes.

I was pouring through this thread and came across this post.

I have three neurological conditions. But, At the speed I ride my racing bike(20-25mph), no one would even know it. Especially the moped rider that came up next to me in the same lane at a red light, and started marvelling at how fit I was.

Originally Posted by ax0n

I have epilepsy.

That is one of mine.

Originally Posted by powerhouse

I know I revived an old thread, but for those of you who are new, I'll ask the questions again;

Do you have a disability?
What do you do or have done to compensate for it.

I welcome your discussion.

1. Ventricular Brain Aneurysm
2. Hydrocephalus
3. Epilepsy

I compensate by:

1. Mostly using my right eye
2. Becoming adept at maintaining my balance in all sorts of ways.

Well, I did what may well be the last ride of the season for me. The weather here in Ohio is turning cold, wet, and wintry. I did a whooping 27 miles, enjoyed myself though sweaty, and layered against the cold. Am glad I went, but it seems that no matter how easy I take it, my knees (both the new and the used) can't seem to handle it. Am very crippled up today with lots of swelling. Total miles (to date) for 2011 are 509 miles - so much for my goal of 1K, but I did get my hip replaced in June, so that ate up a bunch of riding time I guess.

Hehe - an older post. I have been on NSAIDs for the last 25+ years. I loved Viox back in the day! Sadly, in early 2011 I was put on blood thinners for the rest of my life. That means the only NSAID I can ever take is Celebrex. I tried and moved on from it many years ago, but am back on it (among many other meds). Anyhow, Yes, I take Celebrex daily every morning upon waking up. I am also in Pain MGNT, and did much better in 2012 since it was my first non-surgical year in a long time! Did around 1500 miles for the year. Did two metrics, and one Century, and one nine day tour! I still have good and bad days, but am slowly learning what my limits are. Life will get better once I have the right TKR done, it's due, but need to get on disability so I can get healthcare first. been waiting to go before a judge for over 15 months, still waiting for a date.

I went on my longest ride of the year today and even rode on some easy trails to celebrate that for the first time in a very long time I can wiggle my left big toe down AND UP even though the rest of the piggies are still sleeping.

Might just being going through a better spell after several months of hell (it happens) but felt pretty good on the bike today and am pleased at my decision to swap from flats to drops on my Pug which allows me to off road with a lot of stability and cushioning and a little lower and more aero makes a big difference.

I really tried to like the riser bars but my back hates them.

Obligatory picture... sitting up just kills my back (radiculopathy / axial loading) so pretty much everything I ride is fitted like a road bike. Standing and walking are still a problem and this has not gotten better and the doctor says I need to slow down... since I like feeling my fun bits and the reduced chances of falling down I agree.

I have started looking at recumbent trikes as having access to and riding one has let me experience the most pain free activity I have been able to engage in for over five years... and don't think my physician pictured this when he said slow down.... he is an avid cyclist and strongly supports me riding to stay in the best shape possible and to reduce pain and dependence on drugs.

I've made an account today while wandering on the internet checking people's trikes out. I found this thread and thought I'd share my life story too
In march 2004 I ended up in the hospital with a few symptoms my doctor wasn't a fan of. After a lot of tests and guessing, they figured the best diagnosis was juvenile rheumatoid polyarthritis. By january 2005, my muscles were so atrophied that I ended up bedridden until 2008. This whole time my joints lost more and more RoM. Right now my knees (the most important joints in this situation) don't extend more than ~100 degrees. That makes walking impossible.
In 2010 a few friends helped me with a fundraiser and bought a Hase Trets (http://hasebikes.com/87-1-Trets.html). I've been using it more than my wheelchair in the past 2 and a half years (reason to be proud!) and done over 3700 km (http://runkeeper.com/user/AlexTache/profile). Since my muscles are still really atrophied and I don't live in the safest country (Romania), I always had someone with me on the rides.
Right now, things are changing and I need to become more independent. I'm looking into getting a better trike (tadpole trike with more gears since 7 aren't enough to climb hills) and put a BionX system on it for help.
Hoping this change will be for the good. I'm also going to get a blog up and running to inspire more people and I hope I'll also get to do some touring. There's nothing like seing a country from a recumbent!

I've made an account today while wandering on the internet checking people's trikes out. I found this thread and thought I'd share my life story too
In march 2004 I ended up in the hospital with a few symptoms my doctor wasn't a fan of. After a lot of tests and guessing, they figured the best diagnosis was juvenile rheumatoid polyarthritis. By january 2005, my muscles were so atrophied that I ended up bedridden until 2008. This whole time my joints lost more and more RoM. Right now my knees (the most important joints in this situation) don't extend more than ~100 degrees. That makes walking impossible.
In 2010 a few friends helped me with a fundraiser and bought a Hase Trets (http://hasebikes.com/87-1-Trets.html). I've been using it more than my wheelchair in the past 2 and a half years (reason to be proud!) and done over 3700 km (http://runkeeper.com/user/AlexTache/profile). Since my muscles are still really atrophied and I don't live in the safest country (Romania), I always had someone with me on the rides.
Right now, things are changing and I need to become more independent. I'm looking into getting a better trike (tadpole trike with more gears since 7 aren't enough to climb hills) and put a BionX system on it for help.
Hoping this change will be for the good. I'm also going to get a blog up and running to inspire more people and I hope I'll also get to do some touring. There's nothing like seing a country from a recumbent!

Iznajar,
Your injuries are very similar to those I received when a woman
driving and doing makeup at the same time ran me over. By the
time I left hospital, I had no money,no place to live, no job,&
no car.
So for sometime I became a very resourceful homeless
person to survive. It is still more difficult for me to walk
than to ride a bike. Yet in the interim I acquired an old 3 spd
for $15 which I pedaled with one leg having never received the
final two surgeries or the physical therapy need for recovery.
Since then, and several bikes later, I have mounted a small
friction drive motor to bikes that helps me get around.
I must say here that I deeply resent the contemptuous
looks I get from elitist cyclists who seem to think it's my
duty as a challenged 65 yr. old to pure pedal like them.
Motored bikes are certainly a preferable alternative for the
aged to Dodge Hemis.
I have, thru many painful hours of working out, reached a
degree of fitness to where I now spend a good deal of time
just pedaling, but as a bike is my prefer transport, I'll motor
when I need to get somewhere beyond my physical range,
and I don't need any snotty looks from purists half my age!

I do not have a disability myself, but I'm looking for guidance building a bicycle that my son would be capable of using. I haven't looked into whether insurance would pay for an adaptive bike, but I've been interested in seeing if a trike conversion like this bike would be something that would work for my son. He is 4 years old and has Spastic Diplegia CP. He has been able to stand and cruise supported for some time, but currently he isn't walking. He is attending PT that seems to be pushing him in the right direction. My thoughts are with a saddle that gives additional support (but not too much), cycling would help him with both his core and length strength so as to not only be fun, but therapeutic.

I have not been diganosed with C/P but I have the same symptoms as you mentioned except the weakness. I also have drop foot and my feet turn in-board. I have been riding a bike seriously since Nov of last year, and i think it has helped a lot. I too lay the bike down to get on it.

I am a visually impaired rider (fuzzy far sighted vision and iridiocyclisis in both eyes). I have balance issues, fibromyalgia, and some numbness in my hands and feet. Right now I have a Schwinn Merridian trike with an electric assist. It's not the best, but we managed to get it for $250.

Remember me? I started this thread. Thought I would check in after so long. Last time, I had to undergo eye surgery. Years ago, a procedure was done due to Glaucoma in my left eye. Last summer, it became necessary for the same process in my right eye. Although the procedure was long and the effects of the drugs hung on for days, it was successful. However there was a long recovery period before I was able to resume living independently. Not to mention that my eyeglasses had to be replaced after an Epileptic partial seizure. It was a long time before the proper balance of epilepsy medications
had resumed. What a drag.

There may be many changes that I will have to adapt to from now on; factors such as riding a bit more carefully in order to notice what goes on around me as I pedal along. Yet I am still here and I refuse to quit bicycling.

I do not have a disability. But my son, 12, has autism. And he loves to ride. Since he doesn't have the aptitude, inclination or ability to get on computers in this capacity, consider this post for him. :-)

By-the-way, if you guys haven't heard of Bobby McMullen, it's about time you acquaint yourselves with him. The dude is blind (among other things) and he races mountain bikes. He has definitely blurred (pun intended) the line between insanity and gutsy! A documentary was made about him: The Way Bobby Sees It

I have left side shoulder & hand weakness from being killed in a motorcycle wreck in 1970. I was in a coma for 96 days. It's been so long now that I do not even think about it. (I was 14 at the time.) Oh, yeah, Asperger's, now ASD. No probs.

I don't consider it a handicap, but many people I have met do. I am missing two fingers on my left hand, size is about 33% smaller than my right and both the pinky and index finger are basically thumbs with only one knuckle. It makes for interesting braking techniques and a lot of mods to adapt.

Does that 1/2 also apply to: "Now you have to point to others with your middle-finger." (as what my class-mates told me, when I lost my index finger.) My atty in court quoting in dispute, in speaking of me: I "lost 30% of the power of his hand."

Remember me? I started this thread. Thought I would check in after so long. Last time, I had to undergo eye surgery. Years ago, a procedure was done due to Glaucoma in my left eye. Last summer, it became necessary for the same process in my right eye. Although the procedure was long and the effects of the drugs hung on for days, it was successful. However there was a long recovery period before I was able to resume living independently. Not to mention that my eyeglasses had to be replaced after an Epileptic partial seizure. It was a long time before the proper balance of epilepsy medications
had resumed. What a drag.

There may be many changes that I will have to adapt to from now on; factors such as riding a bit more carefully in order to notice what goes on around me as I pedal along. Yet I am still here and I refuse to quit bicycling.

After I was in the process of making my previous reply/comment, the website skipped to this page9. As I read of Your Epilepsy: partial.
When I was up to page 2, none of those who say to have had Epilepsy --- added which category.
As you say to have started the Thread, I will add my furthering to you: Epilepsy,
is what I have always called "an invisible disability." Epilepsy is one of the oldest disabilities. As over time, more new --- add new invisible disabilities have joined in.
What I have not found as of Page 2; and LIKELY I WILL BE THE FIRST ONE TO SPEAK OF. If Not THe Only One: In how much >Biggotry< those with 'Invisible Disabilites' must put up with, in receiving. In daily lives. THe ones to get the only, and real respect. Are the "disabled who have tools" --- as I have called it, for decades. (aka) Wheelchailers, Canes, etc.
Because in normal life, humans rely (trust) on sight, in what we see.
(On the negative: that the tools can be made to be used in a fake manner. Fraud. Just like an unauthorized claim to one having what be actually an 'invisible disability.'

I have epilepsy, ADD, scoliosis and sleep apnea...I was a mechanic for 12 years,been mostly unemployed for the last 5 years... had a gran mal seizure in my sleep in 2010 and they said it was because of the sleep apnea..... had another one in oct 2012 and I almost died and was in a coma for 4 days....was finally diagnosed with epilepsy after this one.... havent had any since then .... just got a job at walmart as a courtesy associate....I was into 4x4s before all this... ended up having to sell most of my man toys...... got into bikes to try to lose some weight.... started with a walmart special and upgraded slowly to the bikes I have now